Spur-gear shaper



Patented Get. 11, 1927.

UNlTED srA'res PATENT ore MAX MAAG, OF SCI-IXVAMENDINGEN, SVJITZERLAND, ASSIGIIOR TO MAAG GEAR WHEEL AND MACHINE COMPANY, LTD, 01? ZURICH,

SWITZERLAND.

SW'ITZEBLAND, A CORPORATION OF SPUR-GEAR SHAPEB.

Application filed September 24, 1923. Serial No. 684,494.

a provide a gear shaper operating upon a generating principle which will be capable of operating at a high rate, of speed.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means for carrying the work and moving it past the cutter in a manner to properly generate tooth curves thereon.

Qne feature which enables me to accomplish the above named objects is that I provide in an adjustable saddle or carriage, a carrier for the work blank which is movable directly across this carriage, means being provided to eifect a rolling action of the spur gear being generated upon a pitch circle as it passes the cutter.

Another feature which is advantageous is that I provide a fixed rack upon the slide or carriage which is adapted to engage a master gear of the same type and having the same diameter of base circle as the gear to be generated, and I also provide driving means for forcing the gear blank and its carrier tra-nseversely across the machine past the cutter and to effect the rolling movement of the blank.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, a plurality of blank carriers are pro vided, each of which may have mounted thereon one or more of the blanks. These carriers may have the blanks mounted on.

them outside of the machine and, one of the carriers and its blank or blanks passes the cutter, another carrier may be positioned in the carriage to immediately follow it. In this way, the machine continues constantly in operation and no time is lost due to loading or removing the work blanks on their carriers.

During each movement of the blank and carrier past the cutter, a number of teeth on the blank are generated dependent upon the number of teeth in the cutter. F or gears having more teeth than the cutter, it is only necessary to return that blank and carrier to its initial position and pass the carrier and blank across the cutter a second or even a third time, each successive time starting the blank so that additional teeth will be cut.

The cutter adapted to be used with the present invent-ion is of the rack type as described in patents already granted to applicant. As many teeth may be provided on the cutter as desired, the longer the cutter,

With these and other objects in view, my

invention consistsin the features of constructionand operation set forth in the followin specification and illustrated in the acconi panying drawing.

In the accompanying drawing annexed hereto and forminga part of thisspecification, I have shown my invention embodied in a vertical type of spur gear generating machine but it will be understood that the invention can. be otherwise embodied and that the drawing is not to be construed as defining or limiting the scope of the invent on, the claims appended to this specification being relied upon for that purpose.

In the drawing:

Figure 1*is a side elevation of the machine parts being shown in section to more clearh show their construction. h

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the machine havmg parts broken away to more clearly show their construction.

In the above mentioned drawing, I have shown but one embodiment of the invention which is now deemed preferable but it is to be understood that changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Briefly, my invention in its broadest aspect comprises the following principal parts first, a base; second, a cutter preferably of the rack type adapted to be reciprocated adjacent a work blank; third,a slide 'or saddle mounted on the base and adjustable toward or from the cutter; fourth, a guide way extending entirely across this saddle; fifth, a carrier on which may be mounted one or more of the gears to be generated and which is adapted to be slidable through the opening in the saddle; sixth, a rack fixed to the saddle; seventh, a. master gear on the carrier having the same diameter of base circle as the gear to be generated; and eighth, means to force the work carrier through the opening in the saddle during operation of the cutter and while the gear blank is being rolled upon a pitchcircle.

Referring more in particular to the figures of the drawing, I provide a base 10 with a L, Li

column 11 having a vertically reciprocating ram 12 thereon. On the lower end of this ram 12 is mounted a cutter .13 preferably. of rack form as shown and described in the reissued patent to Maag, 14,908, granted July 6; 1920. Any preferred means (not shown) may be used to reciprocate thisram,

12 together with its cutter 13 at any desired rate of speed. Also the. front portion of the base is provided with horizontal ways let, on which may be slidably mounted a saddlehlt'i adapted to support the work in;

its operative position. On thisfsaddle 15 are provided themeans to rotatahly support the blankbeingoperated on so thatns the lank 3V is moved past the cutter 13 it may be rolled as if it were. being rolled upon a a pitch diameter along a verticalplane.

The position ofthe saddle 15 towardor from the cutter 13 may be varied by means of .a screw ldengagedby a nut 17 carried by the saddle 1;). By adjustment t this screw 16, thei'position of the saddle 15. may

be. variecl rel'ative to thecutter 13 for differentfdiameters of gears being generated Preferably this saddle le extends entirely across the forward" ortion. of the base lO;

the length of the sa die 15 being in the embodiment of the invention illustrated, slightlylonger than the width of the base between theways1t."" The saddle 15 on. its upper ssurfaceis formed with a recess or opening 20- extending entirely across the saddle and machine. lVithin the lower portions of this recess 20 in the saddle 15v are guideways 21 along which a slide 22 may be moved. Also. on;

this saddle is mounted a rack 23 preferably of a length slightly greater than the cutter 13 In the preferred modification, this rack 23 is disposed 'directlybelow the rack from cutter 13 and mayhave teeth ofthesameor' greater circularipitch than. the teeth of the gear 7 beinggenerat ed,

Extending alongthe saddle 15 ontheopposite side of the recess 20 is a bearing. strip, 25,j th,e purpose of whlchwlll pres entlybe described. Both the rack, and bear? ing strip extend exactly parallel with ways provided for the slide in the recess.

' lilounted so that it may rotate on the slide above referred to is a central stud or post 26 on which the gear blank W and other parts maybe mounted These latter members may comprise a worm wheel 27,; a ball bearing 28 and a master gear 29, the purposes of which will be presently described.

These members are all so mounted that they rotatetogether and arepreferably engaged a key" 30 or spline secured to the central shaft 26. Collectively with the slide 22, these members,26' 27, 2S and 29[for1nthe blank carrier, on which the blank T is mounted during its movement past the cutter p The uppermost member of those mountedon the central stud is the gear blank I; this being positioned at the correct height .tobe directly. in front of the reciprocating cutter 13. To position the blank W at the proper position vertically, a'spacer member 1 31 of a diameter slightly less than the blank WV maybe provided just below the blank and carried by the central shaft 26. Below the spacer 31 is the master gear 29, this having the same base circle as the gear blank being generated, and preferably the same number of teeth and. positionedto engage the rack 23 on the saddle 15. For each different type and size of gear generatech a corresponding master gear 29 must be used.

In order to take up the main thrust or the cutter 13 againstthe work l V,the bearing strip 25 is provided on; the saddle 15 extending across practically its entire width. This strip 25 is adapted to be engaged by the outer periphery of the ball bearing 28 mounted on .the central stud 26. By this construction, the-pressure away from the cutter 13 occasioned by its cutting, action is taken up with a minimum of friction and the blank carrier is prevented from tilting away from the cutter.

To force the blank carrieracross the machine through the recess 20 formed in the saddle 15, any suitabledriving means may be employed. Those shown comprise a worm 32 operating the worm wheel 27, the Worm wheel being mounted-on the central stud 26 and adapted to, rotate relative, to the slide 22 in accordance with the rotative movements ofthe master gear 29 and blank WV. Preferably this worm wheel 27, the

master gear 29, spacer member 31, and blank V] are all keyed positively together by key 30 so that they may all rotate uniformly, relative to the slide Extending along the saddle 15 in a direction parallel to the rack 23, the guideways ,1 and the bearing strip .20 1S an elongated worm 32. shown, 13 adapted to contact with the worm This, as

son that .the reaction between the teeth on c the worm 32 and worm wheel 27 is in the .same direction as the reaction of'the cutter 13 against the work W Any suitable driving means for the worm may be provided] bevel gears 34.

such as the driving shaft33, and spur gears 35 shown.

In operation, the machine is adapted to be used prii'narily on duplicate Work in which.

Obviously, the

loo

are fitted with master gears 29 of identical.

form and with blanks W to be generated. 'lhese slides 22 are successively advanced into position to enter the recess 20 in the saddle so that the blank WV will be traversed past the cutter l3. Simultaneously with its advancing movement past the cutter, the blank W is caused to be rotated by the engagement of the master gear 29 with the rack 23. As soon as one slide 22 with its blank 7 thereon has moved past the cutter 13, another slide 22 to which another blank W has been fitted is advanced toward the cutter 18. In this way, the machine is kept constantly at work with the cutter 13 always in contact with and operating upon a blank \V. Suiiicient blank carriers 22 and attached parts are provided enabling a workman to remove completed work and to mount new blanks independently of the machine and while others are passing through the. recess in saddle 15. This is illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawing.

Large gears having a greater number of teeth than the number of teeth on the cutter 13 are required to be again passed through the machine so that teeth not cut onthe first pass may be cut during the second traverse'. On each successive pass of the blank past the cutter 13, the blank 1V is rotated to a position relative to the first tooth of the rack cutter 13 so that the cutter 13 will start cutting on the second pass where it left off on the first pass. In this manner, blanks W for gears having large numbers of teeth may be repeatedly passed through the machine until all of the teeth are generated, after which the completed blanks may be removed from their carriers and others. substituted. At no time is the machine idle due to the necessity of removing completed work and placing new blanks in position for operation.

\Vhat I claim is:

1. A gear shaper comprising in combina tion, a base, a cutter thereon adapted to be reciprocated while it is in engagement with a blank, a saddle adjustable toward and from the cutter and having a slideway thereon, said slideway extending laterally entirely across the saddle, a work blank carrier engaging said slideway and adapted to be passed entirely across said base, a worm gear rotatably mounted on said carrier and having a blank mounted for rotation therewith, an elongated worm on said saddle meshing with said worm gear, and interreciprocated while it is in engagement with a blank, a saddle on said base and adjustable toward and from the cutter, a work blank carrier on said saddle having a blank rotatably mounted thereon and adapted to be moved entirely across the same, a. worm gear of 'reater size than the blank on said carrier and mounted for rotation with said blank, an elongated worm on said saddle beneath said cutter meshing with said worm gear to move the carrier and blank, a roller bearing on said carrier adapted to engage a strip on said saddle to take up the thrust of the cutter during operation, and intermeshing means on said saddle and carrier to simulate a rolling motion of said blank as said'blank and carrierpass the cutter.,

3. A gear shaper comprising in combination, a base; a cutter thereon adapted to be reciprocated while it is in engagement with a blank, a saddle on said base adjustable toward and from said cutter and having an open guideway extending across it, a plurality of blank carriers adapted to simultaneously engage said guideway, and worm and worm wheel means to successively pass said carriers through said guideway and past said cutter.

4. A gear shaper comprising in combination, a base, a cutter thereon adapted to be reciprocated while it is in engagement with a blank, a saddle adjustably postioned on said base and having an open guideway extending across it, a plurality of blank carriers adapted to simultaneously engage said guideway, means permitting said carriers to successively traverse said guideway, a worm and worm wheel to move said carriers along said guideway, and a rack and gear respectively on said saddle and carrier to rotate said blanks while they pass the cutter.

5. A gear shaper comprising in combination, a base, a cutter thereon adapted to be reciprocated while it is in engagement with a blank, a saddle adjustably positioned on said base and having a guideway extending across it, a rack rigidly mounted on one side of the saddle, a bearing strip mounted on the opposite side, said rack and strip extending parallelly to said guideway, a plurality of blank carriers adapted to simultaneously engage said guideway, a master gear on each 01 said carriers corresponding to the gear being generated and adapted to engage the rack on said saddle, a rotating'beari-ng on said carrier adapted to engage said bearing strip, and means to advance said carriers successively along said guideway and past said cutter.

In testimony whereof, I hereto affix my signature.

MAX MAAG. 

